Take It Back
by ladygris
Summary: After the crisis in "Lifeboat," Janet faces the consequences of losing her temper with a patient.


**Disclaimer:** I own nothing related to Stargate: SG-1 or its wonderful characters. I'm just borrowing for entertainment purposes.

**Author's Note:** This relationship is probably one of the best subtly played ships in the entire show, in my opinion. I've always liked "Lifeboat," so I had to eventually write my own tag to it. This one-shot contains spoilers for "Lifeboat," "Holiday," "Singularity," and "Rite of Passage." There may be other spoilers for Seasons 1-7, so beware. Also, I'm looking to start collecting all my Daniel-centric one-shots into one collection, kind of like my "Snippets and Snapshots" and "Physician's Progress Notes." Anyone have any ideas for a pithy title for that one? As always, hope you enjoy this story. ~lg

oOo

"_You don't belong in that man's body, and I intend to take it back!"_

Her desperate temper tantrum echoing in her ears, Janet Frasier sipped a cup of tea and settled behind her desk. Her throat no longer stung from forcing that much emotion and volume through it, but she couldn't give up the comfort of a good cup of tea just yet. Normally, she sipped coffee as she worked, trying to keep herself alert and aware for her patients. This time, she'd consumed so much coffee that her hands still shook from the caffeine rush. No, what she needed right now was quiet, tea, and the solid confidence that Daniel was back to being just Daniel.

The last two days had been a literal rollercoaster ride. Janet had held on for dear life, trying to find a way to help Daniel as she struggled to reign in her emotions. Seeing Martice, the arrogant, self-serving ruler of Ardena, take control of Daniel's body, twisting familiar features into a mask of contempt and superiority, had sickened her. _I assume Dr. Jackson was the former._ The statement had forced her to bite down on her tongue to keep from lashing out in a similar fashion to the spoiled rich kid. Though, based on his comment about Daniel's body being "younger and stronger" than his own, she revised that statement. Martice was more than a child, even though he'd acted like one. He was a grown man who should have known better than to make demands, but every other person inhabiting Daniel pandered to him. It made the rolling in Janet's stomach even worse.

Worse than the arrogance, however, was the child that had been stuck in Daniel's body. Keenin had been terrified of everyone save Janet. Her own experiences with Cassie and how traumatizing the child had become by finding himself on another world helped Janet gentle her voice when all she wanted to do was snap at the so-called sovereign. Keenin's tears, his desire to stay with his mother even though their world had ended, had torn at Janet's heart. For a moment, she'd flashed back to Cassie's arrival on Earth, to the moment when Cassie, not understanding, had attached a red tag to her top indicating she'd died with her people. That mother's instinct stirring in Janet's chest had prompted her to let Keenin rest his head on her lap, had urged her to rub his back and offer as much comfort as possible. Never mind that Keenin now wore the face of a man Janet cared for more than she'd ever imagined possible.

Then, the fist tightened on her lab coat, and she'd stiffened. Martice returned, demanding to know why she'd involved "the boy." At least he'd shown some sort of redeeming quality by trying to protect the child. In the end, however, it wasn't enough. Pharrin, Keenin's father, had asked his son to make the ultimate sacrifice.

_I will not surrender this body, not at any cost. It is mine._ The statement had come from Martice, from a man too wrapped up in his own desires and wants to look at what another person might need or deserve. Daniel had emerged from the chaos only once, and Janet desperately wanted to hear just his voice, his inflection, that overly-fast way he had of speaking. But it took an offworld trip and Jack's stubbornness to get Martice to let go. In the end, Martice was the last person to leave Daniel's body.

Now, in the quiet of her office, Janet stared at the computer screen as she tried to write up her report. The medical terms were obvious, but trying to explain what had happened while reconciling it with the emotions it stirred in her. . . .That was impossible. _You don't belong in that man's body, and I intend to take it back!_ Those words, the desperation she'd felt in that moment, the fear that she might not see Daniel as himself ever again. . . .All of this poured through her now that she could allow herself to truly feel.

"Janet?" The soft call from her office door startled her, and she jumped, a bit of tea spilling from her cup and splashing across her desk. Daniel stood there, his glasses in place, black t-shirt stretched by his recent workout regime in the gym, and his BDU jacket in hand.

Straightening, Janet reached for a tissue and wiped up the spilled tea. "Come in." She smiled. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine." He settled nervously on the edge of a chair, his blue eyes piercing as they looked at her. "How are you?"

Such a loaded question. She drew in a deep breath and let it out. "I'm tired," she said honestly. "And I'm glad you're back."

"Me, too," he agreed with a nod and tiny smile. After an awkward moment, he glanced down at his hands. "I. . .uh. . .remember what you said."

Janet frowned, hoping he didn't mean what she thought he meant. "I said a lot of things, Daniel. You'll have to be a bit more specific."

He looked at her over the rims of his glasses. "You don't belong in that man's body, and I intend to take it back." He put no inflection into the words, but she heard it just the same. "I admit I was in and out of it, and Sam says I was in some sort of coma. But I remember certain things. This Martice saying he wouldn't give up my body, Keenin wanting to go home. . .You being there."

She smiled and looked down, hiding the flush that began at her neckline and crawled up her cheeks. A nervous pit in her stomach opened, and she forced herself to breathe. "I wouldn't have been anywhere else."

"I know."

They sat for a few moments, the silence between them heavy with unspoken words and feelings. Janet remembered when Cassie had been struck by the mind fever, how Daniel had caught her hand and held it as he spoke gentle words of support. He'd always been there, from the very beginning of her time at Stargate Command. Even when he'd been blinded by his desire to find his wife, torn by grief, or in such incredible pain just before his Ascension, he'd always supported her. Since his return, Janet felt as if she'd been given a second chance with a man who meant more to her than she would admit to anyone.

Finally, Daniel cleared his throat. "How long have you been on base?" She didn't answer him, prompting him to fill in the blanks. "Since all this started." A smile tugged at his lips as he rose. "I was about to head out, get something to eat. Would you like to join me?"

Janet stared at him. Had Daniel just asked her out, or was this just a friend offering companionship after a hard day at the office? Still, she stood and looked around. "I think my report can wait until tomorrow."

A true smile blossomed on his face now. "Good." He stepped back as she walked around the desk. Letting her precede him out the door, he lowered his voice and moved close so that only she could hear his words. "Thank you, by the way."

Janet frowned, coming to a complete stop as she stared up at him. "For what?"

"For not giving up." He shrugged. "For. . . ." His wry grin appeared again, along with a slightly embarrassed look. "For taking me back."

This time, the flush did cover her face as she laughed at that. "I'm sorry you had to hear that, Daniel. But all I could think about was. . . ."

"Ma'chello."

"Yes." She stared up at him. "You really need to stop letting alien consciousnesses take over your brain."

"Yeah, y'know, it's a habit I'm trying to break." His sense of humor allowed him to lighten the mood a bit. He led her out the door, his words of thanks doing more to calm her stomach than anything else could. "Seriously, though, I'm glad you were there."

"Me, too, Daniel." Janet stared into his face, letting herself openly admire the blue of his eyes and the chiseled features that many of her nurses and doctors—herself included—adored.

As they left the mountain, Janet wryly mused that something had just shifted between them. Maybe, in her emotion, she'd allowed herself to express something that she'd held in for so long. Maybe, in spite of his condition at the time, Daniel remembered the sincerity behind her shouted words, heard the cause for them, and had decided to act on it.

At a deli near the mountain, Daniel settled into the chair across from Janet, looking completely comfortable and oh-so-delectable in his civilian clothing. He leaned against the table, lowering his voice so that only she could hear him. "So, there's something I wanted to talk to you about."

Janet stared at his uncertain expression, her heart jumping in her chest even though she worked to keep a friendly smile. She remembered moments when Martice tried to intimidate her, how she'd wondered if she could stand looking at that. . .that _monster_ controlling Daniel's body. Now, she sighed. "I don't hold anything Martice said against you, Daniel."

"Yeah, that's not what it was." He stared into the coffee mug he'd been given a few moments before and sighed. Looking up at her, he frowned. "Did you mean it?"

"Did I mean what?"

"What you said to Martice? About me?" He shrugged. "You might not have come right out and said the words, but I felt what was behind them. When you told him you would 'take it back.'"

This time, Janet let her emotions show, knowing that Daniel would appreciate the honesty more than anything else. "Yes," she said softly. "I meant every word."

"Good." He nodded and smiled at her, the expression softening his features and lighting his eyes. The waitress chose that moment to deliver their food, breaking the spell even though Daniel never lost the small grin on his face. After she walked away, he met Janet's eyes. "I know we're having dinner right now, but. . . .Would you like to have dinner with me on Friday? Just me and you, someplace nice. . . ."

Janet's smile widened as she saw the hope that blossomed in his eyes. "I'd love to, Daniel."

His answering grin made her night, and Janet stayed with him in that deli until closing. Their conversation ranged from work to more personal matters, including her latest drama with Cassie. Daniel had always been involved in Cassie's life and now offered to speak with her about the decisions facing her within a few years. Janet wasn't certain it would help, but Daniel's offer made him just a little more attractive—if it were possible. By the time the deli staff kicked them out, they'd crossed the line from friends and coworkers into something closer, something more than what they'd always known. Wouldn't her nurses be green when they realized that their boss, the woman who rarely looked twice at a man, had managed to get a date out of the base's most eligible civilian bachelor?

When they reached her car, Janet smiled at Daniel and told him she would see him the next day at work. He held the door for her and waved as she pulled away. She watched him in her rearview mirror as he shoved his hands into his pockets and waited while she turned the corner. Another smile tugged at her lips. Yes, she had lost her temper and yelled at a patient, but she was glad she had. Given what it had brought her, she decided that, when it came to what she had said, she would never take it back.

oOo

_You don't belong in that man's body, and I intend to take it back!_

Daniel continued to stare even after Janet's car disappeared from view. Over the last few months since descending and returning to his life on Earth, Janet had been a constant. She had examined him closely, running a myriad of tests but giving him the space he needed to remember his life on Earth. For a time, the memory of Sha're and her death had overshadowed everything. But little moments slipped through. Daniel found himself smiling as he recalled Janet's lingering gaze during a briefing, her warm smile when he was stuck in the infirmary, and the way she would touch his arm that was anything but professional.

Still, something had changed during this latest debacle. He had been honest with her. Most of his time as host to twelve other consciousnesses was a blur. He remembered surfacing just once, but most times he could just barely see and hear his surroundings. But one moment had been burned into his mind. Janet's unadulterated rage at Martice, her eyes almost filled with tears, as she screamed out her intention to free Daniel from those who would seek to control him. . . .That, more than anything, reminded him of why he cared so much for Janet Frasier. She was more than just a doctor and definitely more than a friend.

That evening, after a long shower and some time in his office, Daniel had headed back to the infirmary. He really didn't care to see those walls, no matter what Jack insisted, and often found himself contemplating escape in spite of his attraction to his doctor. Tonight, however, he'd seen something else. Janet had been sitting in her office, staring at the computer screen as she sipped a cup of tea. The depth of emotion flowing across her face had taken his breath away for a moment. She looked ashamed, angry, indignant, frightened, and, in the end, relieved. As she reached for the keyboard to begin writing, Daniel had decided to interrupt.

And he was glad he had. Finally making his way to his car, he drove home with a smile on his face. Since returning to human form, he'd wondered if it was time to move on romantically. He could mourn Sha're—and would mourn Sha're in some form or fashion—for the rest of his life. But, if he had been the one to die, leaving Sha're behind, he wouldn't want her to be alone. His own death and Ascension had given him a much-needed perspective. His reputation as the sorrowful scholar had become a weight he carried everywhere, and he'd love to set it aside. For one, it would enable him to work with the female staff without wondering if they wanted to be the one to end his widower-hood. For another. . . .He was lonely, and Janet had found ways to fill that spot. He couldn't be certain whether their relationship would work out, and he refused to take too many big steps too soon. But, having someone to truly share those ups and downs. . . .That was one thing he missed most now that he was single again.

At home, Daniel made plans to drop by the infirmary the next day and solidify his plans with Janet. It would give him the chance to gauge her reactions to him and whether or not this was a great idea. Smile still in place, hope once again alive in his heart, he retired for the night and slept well for the first time in months.

oOo

Friday evening, Janet finished her work early and slipped into the bathroom next to her office. The day after asking her out, Daniel had dropped in with news that he had reservations as an upscale restaurant in Colorado Springs. While he'd been discreet in how he presented it, Janet had been unable to keep the smile from her face. Fortunately for Daniel, most of her nursing staff hadn't figured out just _who_ she had a date with, only that she had a date. She knew betting pools had opened, and she even considered placing a bet herself. Of course, she'd clean house, and she chose to let her staff continue thinking she was oblivious.

Now, however, she stared at her reflection in the mirror and grinned. The dress she'd chosen for dinner was modest and still very, very eye-catching. Not too tight, and not too short, it hugged her curves with ruched black satin. The neckline was wide, almost an off-the-shoulder design that showcased her clavicle while drawing attention with its black, silver, and gold beadwork. Janet quickly pulled her hair into a simple chignon at the crown of her head, letting a few strands fall to frame her face. She completed the look with a pair of dangly black-and-silver earrings that caught the light as she moved. Hoping it wasn't too fancy, she slipped into a pair of strappy heels that were anything but regulation military dress. In fact, she looked one-hundred-percent civilian. Satisfied, she took a deep breath and opened the door.

Daniel waited in the infirmary, wearing a pair of dark slacks, button-down shirt, and sport coat, somehow making the look seem incredibly sexy and upscale. He turned just as she appeared, and his resulting expression caused almost all activity in the infirmary to come to a screeching halt. Nurses stared open-mouthed as Janet walked toward Daniel. _He_ blinked several times, his gaze traveling to her feet and back to her face as his mouth flapped. That she'd rendered him—a man who spoke more than twenty-five languages—speechless made Janet's night, and she turned to see Colonel O'Neill also staring at her. Siler was next to him, cradling an injured arm as he, too, blinked in shock. Meanwhile, as Daniel smiled at Janet and offered his arm, the stunned expressions on her nurse's faces changed to varying degrees of heartbreak and disappointment. Not the least bit upset by that, Janet allowed Daniel to lead her out of the infirmary.

Colonel O'Neill grinned as they passed. "Daniel. Doc."

Daniel smirked at his friend. "Jack."

Janet couldn't stop the chuckle that started when, as they were nearly out of earshot, Jack's parting comment reached her ears. "You kids have fun!"

The same reaction greeted the pair of them as they walked through the SGC. Finally at the elevator, Daniel glanced once at Janet and then snorted with laughter. She joined him and tried not to let herself get so carried away that she actually cried. For a few moments, the elevator was filled with their giggles. She finally caught her breath. "Well, that was worth the effort!"

Daniel blinked at her. "What? The stunned expressions and slack-jawed Marines who couldn't take their eyes off you?"

"That, too." She gave him a playful grin, nudging his shoulder as the elevator came to a stop. "I meant your inability to speak when I first appeared."

He actually flushed as he escorted her to his car. Once there, he opened the door and leaned close. "I'm beginning to wonder if asking you out to dinner at a fancy restaurant was in my best interest. I'd like to retain my reputation as a gentleman."

She met his eyes, all playfulness falling away. "Daniel, you'll always be a gentleman."

"Not what I meant, Janet." He frowned. "Though, my penchant for getting taken over by alien consciousnesses is something we should consider."

Sensing he was really concerned about this issue, she risked putting a hand on his chest and met his eyes. "If something ever happens to take over your brain again, I'll make sure to take you back."

His eyebrows rose as the flirtatious expression returned to his face. "Oh, take me back?"

Janet simply followed his lead. "That's assuming I ever let you get away."

His eyes dropped to her lips and then back to her eyes. "We'll leave this discussion for another time, Dr. Frasier."

"Good idea, Dr. Jackson." She climbed into the car and watched as he rounded the front to slide into the driver's seat. Enjoying the new-found freedom to flirt with him, she grinned. "Though you should know that there's a healthy betting pool going on in my infirmary."

"I know." He glanced at her as he pulled out of Cheyenne Mountain's parking complex. "I should be collecting tomorrow."

"Daniel!" Her outrage caused him to laugh again, and Janet settled back into her chair with a grin. It was good to hear him laugh for a change, something that had been all too rare in recent years. "For what it's worth, I almost placed a bet, too."

"Almost?" He raised an eyebrow. "Why didn't you?"

"Because the bet was about _me_. Wouldn't have been fair."

"True." He wiggled his head back and forth as he thought for a moment. "How about I share the proceeds, since it was really all your decision whether I won or not?"

Janet narrowed her eyes. Daniel was an incredibly intelligent man, but he wasn't given to blackmail. Still, she couldn't help wondering if he might have other ideas about what to spend the money on, ideas that she would ultimately wind up sharing. "How about I not worry about it and just enjoy the evening?"

He reached for her hand and laced their fingers together as he drove. "Deal."

Through the evening, Janet had to remind herself that she wasn't dreaming. Daniel took her to one of Colorado Springs' finest restaurants, and he managed to keep her laughing through the whole thing. Seeing the way his eyes crinkled at the corners as he laughed, how they sparkled as they watched her, and his answering smile, she knew she'd made the right decision. Her mind went back to that moment in the medical isolation room, when Martice pushed her final button, and she smiled when Daniel dropped her off at her car later that night. She had taken a risk, letting Martice see a bit of the emotion that was beneath the mask, and had come away much better for it. Daniel had also seen that emotion, and he had answered in his own way. Driving home, her mind reliving every delightful moment of the evening, Janet Frasier decided that she would always be there, always ready, to take back the man she loved.

~The End~


End file.
